Novartis announced that it has completed the acquisition of a U.S.-based software startup Amblyotech, and in collaboration with Ubisoft and McGill University, will pursue the development of the acquired digital technology for the treatment of "lazy eye."
Amblyopia (commonly know as lazy eye), is a leading cause of vision loss in children and young adults and affects roughly 3 percent of the global population.
Amblyotech utilizes active gaming and passive video technology with 3-D glasses, training the eyes to work together to view an image in full. Its software employs a unique visual presentation, called dichoptic display, where each eye is presented with different images using a proprietary algorithm. In early clinical studies, Amblyotech’s software demonstrated improvements in vision in both children and adults with faster onset compared to standard of care treatments.
With the transaction closing, Novartis plans to work in partnership with video game developer, Ubisoft, to develop the Amblyotech software as a medical device (SaMD), create a series of engaging games for the device, and conduct a proof of concept study, planned for later in 2020.
Read the press release